major concepts

religious diffusion

• ethnic religion: less widespread diffusion, holy places generally derive from distinctive physical environments of their hearths

  • eg. Hinduism, mountains

• universalizing religion: often holy cities and other places associated with founder’s life, not directly related to the environment

  • eg. Christianity, Islam

belief systems

• monotheism: the doctrine or belief that there is only one God

• polytheism: the doctrine or belief that there are multiple gods

• non-theistic: the doctrine or belief that there is no God

major world religions

• Christianity — universalizing

  • hearth: Palestine (modern-day Israel)

  • monotheistic

  • symbol: cross/crucifix

  • diffusion: contagious (contact between believers and non-believers; intermarriage)

• Judaism — ethnic

  • hearth: Israel

  • monotheistic

  • symbol: star of David (six-pointed tar)

• Islam — universalizing

  • hearth: Mecca, Medina

  • monotheistic

  • symbol: crescent and star

• Hinduism — ethnic

  • hearth: Indus River Valley

  • polytheistic

  • symbol: om

• Buddhism — universalizing

  • hearth: south Asia

  • non-theistic

  • symbol: dharma wheel